Chapter 2 - The Silence of the Safe House
The interior of the Cadillac Escalade was completely silent, save for the low, rhythmic hum of the climate control system blowing warm air onto Anna’s freezing feet. The windows were heavily tinted, reducing the brilliant lights of the Oakridge Country Club into faint, blurry smears of gold and red against the wet glass.
Anna sat pressed against the leather seat, her hands wrapped tightly around a silver thermos Marcus had handed her. The tea smelled of chamomile and honey, the steam rising up to clear the scent of Grant's cologne from her nose.
Dominic sat on the opposite side of the wide cabin, leaving a deliberate, respectful space between them. He had removed his wet suit jacket, his crisp white shirt stretched tight across his chest, the sleeves rolled up to reveal the thick, corded muscles of his forearms and the dark ink of an old tattoo near his wrist. He was staring out the window as the convoy pulled away from the country club, his jaw clenched so tightly a small muscle twitched beneath his scar.
"Where are we going?" Anna asked, her voice sounding small, cracked, and entirely foreign to her own ears.
"A safe house in Lincoln Park," Dominic replied, turning his head slowly to look at her. His gray eyes softened as they traced the dark bruise blooming along her jawline. "It's registered under a corporate shell company that handles restaurant logistics. No one knows the deed belongs to me. Not even Marcus’s crew. You're safe there, Anna. For tonight, and for as long as you need to figure out the next step."
"Grant will go to the police," she whispered, her fingers tightening around the thermos until her knuckles turned white. "He has records. He has medical reports from my... my panic attacks. He made me sign a declaration last year stating that I had a history of self-harm to explain away the emergency room visit in Evanston."
Dominic let out a low, dry chuckle that carried zero humor. "Let him go to the police, Anna. Half the captains in the North Side district owe their pensions to my logistics firms. The moment Grant Ashford tries to file a missing persons report or an abduction charge, the paperwork will disappear into a shredder before it hits the captain's desk. You aren't a missing person. You're a guest of the Vale estate."
"I left my sister," Anna said, a sudden, sharp wave of guilt hitting her chest so hard she gasped. "Lily... it was her wedding. She looked so beautiful. If Grant tells her... if he creates a scene inside that room..."
"Marcus stayed behind with two men," Dominic said smoothly, reaching over to place his hand on the seat between them, close enough for her to touch if she wanted, but far enough to give her control. "They’re sitting in the lounge. If Grant tries to cause a scene or ruin your sister's night, Marcus will ensure he takes a quiet walk out to the parking lot. Your sister will have her wedding, Anna. I promise you that."
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The SUV slowed down, navigating the quiet, tree-lined streets of Lincoln Park before pulling into a hidden, subterranean garage beneath a modern brick townhouse. The steel security door rolled down behind them with a heavy, definitive metallic crunch, sealing them inside a fortress of concrete and shadow.
Dominic got out first, opening her door and holding his hand out. This time, Anna didn't hesitate. She placed her small, scratched palm into his massive one, letting his strength carry her out of the vehicle and up the private elevator into the quiet sanctuary above.
